


Home Is Where The Heart Is

by muddysoncoopr



Category: Legacies (TV 2018)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gemmini Conven, Josie runs a law firm with her best friend, Josie runs away, Kids, Lizzie protective, Protective mom and aunt, Teen Pregnancy, family comes first, tvd
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-21
Updated: 2020-05-06
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:21:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23769166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/muddysoncoopr/pseuds/muddysoncoopr
Summary: Being pregnant at the age of eighteen after a drunken one-night stand was never on Josie’s list, actually being pregnant at any age (well any age until 22) was never an option either, to say the least Josette Olivia Saltzman was not prepared for this.OrIn which Josie let’s go one night and the consequences are for life.
Relationships: Alaric Saltzman & Emma Tig, Hope Mikaelson & Josie Saltzman, Hope Mikaelson & Lizzie Saltzman, Hope Mikaelson/Josie Saltzman, Josie Saltzman & Kaleb Westphall, Josie Saltzman & Lizzie Saltzman, Josie Saltzman/Original Female Character(s), Landon Kirby/Hope Mikaelson, Milton "MG" Greasley & Josie Saltzman, Milton "MG" Greasley/Lizzie Saltzman
Comments: 38
Kudos: 149





	1. Chapter 1

Sitting at the table Josie allows her head to fall with a loud bang on its surface, the day she had finally catching up with her. She blocks out the other voices surrendering her- that were saying something about the company’s income this month, truthfully Josie couldn’t care less. 

She just wanted to sleep. In her bed. At home, surrounded by the two most important people in her life and yet she is here, at work, sitting in a somewhat uncomfortable chair listening to basically strangers telling her how to run her own freaking company. 

Right then and there Josie decided that Amber was sleeping on the streets tonight.

A small smile makes its way on her lips as she thinks of her best friend, she owes so much to that crazy red head and also co-owner of said company that’s bringing her so much pain right now. She reasons with herself that it also brings her money, so it won’t benefit her if she burns the building to the ground. 

Raising her head, she nods dumbly at whatever the man in front of her is saying, her mind going back to the day she met Amber. She remembers being so scared, but who wouldn’t be? Running away from home, with a semi-visible baby bump, a suitcase with clothes that she was surely going to outgrow in the next seven months and the money she’d accumulated over the past eighteen years surely wasn’t an ideal situation. 

“Any questions miss Woods?” 

It’s been almost three years and she still finds herself getting used to the surname ‘Woods’; not very inspirational, she’ll admit, but it was a last-minute decision to change it. Refocusing on the task at hand the young owner of the Northwest Criminal Defense Center for the Supernatural nods her head exhausted.

“Yes, can I leave now?”

She doesn’t wait for the other five occupants of the room to respond as she grabs her jacket and purse walking out the door. Throwing a polite smile at the secretary she tells her to make sure the men upstairs leave before eleven and with a last wave of her hand she is out of the building speeding home. 

She lets out a sigh of relief when she arrives home, the silhouette of her beloved house bringing enormous comfort to the brunette. Entering it is like arriving in heaven, the cold that momentarily possessed her outside quickly being replaced by warmth. She isn’t surprised to notice the kitchen light on. 

Throwing her work shoes in the far corner of the entrance she takes a moment to appreciate the feeling her fuzzy slippers give in comparison to that torture device they call heels before entering the kitchen herself. 

There at the kitchen table is Amber, her red locks thrown in a messy bun as she reads something on her laptop, a cup of what Josie assumes is hot coffee held tight in her hands. 

“I hate you and everything you hold dear.” Startled the other girl looks up a cocky smile finding its way on her face at the sight of the brunette intruder. 

“Good evening to you too.” 

“Get out of my house, you are sleeping on the streets tonight.” She doesn’t even look at the outraged expression her housemate makes as she opens the fridge taking out a cartoon full of ice cream. 

“I take it work wasn’t the paradise it usually is.” Her voice is laced with sarcasm as the words are said in a too-sweet-to-be-true voice. With the ice cream and spoon in one hand she points an accusatory finger at the girl. “Next time we have a meeting you are the one attending it.” Throwing her hands up in surrender Amber chuckles, moving on the next chair to make space for Josie, who slumps in it unceremoniously. 

“Maybe next time don’t let the two devils play with my blood bags.”

Josie cringed at that, forgetting the mess they did just the other day.

It’s quiet for a while, Josie eating her ice cream and Amber, opposite of her, tapping away on her computer. “How have they been today?” the tapping of her friend’s fingers stops as she turns her attention towards the siphoner. 

“They’ve been good, from what Willow told me. Ate everything she gave them, and you’ll be ecstatic to hear both Natalie and Nathan learned a new word today.” Raising a suspicious eyebrow Josie throws her a questioning look. 

“And what word exactly?”

“no.” 

“Well shit.”  
“Language, put 50 cents in the swearing jar.” She rolls her eyes. “I’m the adult, I get to swear, it’s like my only advantage.” With a scoff Amber returns to her work leaving Josie to eat her ice cream in silence. 

When the clock strikes twelve, they both decided to head to bed for a well-deserved sleep. Parting way in the living room both girls bid each other goodnight before making their way to their respective rooms. 

Josie tiredly takes a shower, throws on some pyjamas and goes to check on her little bundle of joys or devils – as Amber so lovingly calls them. Natalie and Nathan’s room is in front of Josie’s. But when she enters the room panic overwhelms her when she notices neither of the twins in any of the beds. 

She quickly turns around to check in her room.

She feels like she can breathe again when she sees two tiny bodies huddled together in the middle of her bed soundly asleep. She slips quietly under the covers a hand protectively draped over the two kids as she lets herself be pulled under Morpheus’s spell.

\------------------------------------------

_She looked in horror as the small, white stick showed two lines – positive. She shook her head furiously, tears threatening to spill from her eyes as only one thought went through her head: ‘She was pregnant’_

_This could not be happening. Pinching herself she tried waking up from this horrible nightmare, but she couldn’t, because this wasn’t a dream this was reality. A knock on the door brought her back from the spiralling thoughts that clouded her vision and mind._

_“Jo, are you okay in there?”_

_Lizzie’s voice could be heard from outside the small room she was currently in. The concern in her sisters’ voice made her sick; doubling over the toilet she emptied the contents of her stomach. Flushing the toilet, she cleared her throat._

_“I’m good.”_

_She wasn’t._

_“Go down to breakfast I’ll be there in a minute.”_

_She didn’t go to breakfast that day and when Lizzie returned to their room most of Josie’s clothes were gone._

_That was the last time anyone heard from Josie. ___


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning Josie is awakened by the sweet smell of pancakes and two high pitched voices talking animatedly from the kitchen. Getting up from bed she immediately finds herself missing the warmth and comfort it provided, but before she can crawl back into it and doze off into a dreamless sleep her phone starts ringing. 

With an annoyed groan she answers the phone, catching a glimpse of the time ( 8:32 ) wondering who would call this early in the morning. 

“Hello?” her voice is raspy from lack of use during the night and she has to clear her throat a couple times.

“Jos, sweets, how are you on this beautiful morning?” She removes the phone from her ear wincing at the volume she’s greeted with.

“How can you have this much energy at this hour, Will?”

“Caffeine.”

Ah, yes, the wonders of caffeine.

“Also, I’m a werewolf.”

Right, she forgot about that. 

“Why, exactly, did you call me?” She rolls her eyes at the offended gasp he makes on the other side of the phone. “Can’t a man just want to talk to one of his best friends?” 

“Yes, when you find a man call me.” 

“Ha, ha. Very funny Josette.”

She chuckles but deicides to stop torturing her friend. “What’s up?”

“You know that new adventure park that just opened?” he pauses, and she nods, only to shake her head in embarrassment after remembering he can’t actually see her. “Yes.” She heard the rumours; people say it has one of the biggest water slides in the world. 

“Well it’s owner is a vampire and he had a deal with Kaleb something, who’s also a vampire.” Josie laughs and shakes her head, of course her friend could not remember the surname of their client. “Whatever, it doesn’t matter. So, as I was saying. The owner of the park had a deal with him. If Kaleb agreed to put in a, rather large, sum of money in the project the owner would let him feed on the people there- no killing though. But now, with the park done, he refuses to even let Kaleb and his men enter through the gates and Kaleb is suing.” 

She sighs. Never make a deal with a vampire. 

“Tell that Kaleb guy that I will talk to him on Monday. Speak with him and decide a date and time then message them to me. Also, are you coming over this weekend? Nathan misses you.” She can hear him laugh on the other side and she smiles.

“Yes, tell the little guy I’m coming to save him from that woman-filled house.” 

“Bye, Will.”

“See you.” 

She ends the phone call and makes her way towards the kitchen, but before she can enter two small figures slam into her. After regaining her balance, she looks down, a loving smile on her face. 

“Morning mommy.” Two voices chorus together, and she finds herself grinning. “Morning sweethearts, how did you sleep?” A teasing smirk is on her lips, but the ones in question are too little to notice as they each go on in telling her about what they dreamt. She chuckles lightly, kissing them both on the top of their heads. 

Finding it hard to keep up with what they were saying, she just smiles in return after they finish. 

“What smells so good?” Natalie’s little eyes go wide as a small grin appears on her face “We made pancakes!” 

“Auntie Amber helped.” 

“Did she now?” The two only nodded their head and Josie smiles at Amber. “Well let’s see what you did here, go wash your hands.” Both twins started running towards the nearest bathroom to wash their hands as Josie turns her attention to the only other adult in the house with her. 

“If they are poisoned, I’m going to haunt you as a ghost forever.” Her threat is met with an airy laugh as Amber places plates on the table. Looking out the glass door that leads to the garden she lets herself take a minute to think about how far she got, the friends that surround her that she’d come to think of as family. 

“Mom!” 

The yell coming from besides her is clearly angry. With a tired sigh she thinks of all the possible ways Nathan could have pissed of his sister in the short span of time they’d been gone, but her mind comes blank, so she patiently waits for the younger of two to tell her what happened. 

“Nathie pushed me down.” It takes the young mother a minute to decipher what the clearly upset girl is telling her as her little eyes fill with unshed tears. Josie turns towards her son to see him shuffling near the door, his eyes on the ground in shame. 

As much as Josie loves and cherishes everything about being a mother, breaking fights and misunderstandings between the twins is not one of them. She signals for her son to come over and crouches on her knees to be on eyelevel with both of them. 

“Nate, baby, is that true?” The boy barely nods, tears threatening to spill form his eyes. “Did you do it on purpose?” He looks at her confused and she just smiles. “Did you want to hurt your sister?” His head shakes furiously “Did you say sorry?” He shakes his head again. With an understanding smile she nods for him to go ahead and do it. 

And as soon as the words ‘I’m sorry’ leave his lips the little girl’s face lights up as if nothing ever happened, and Josie is momentarily stuck by how much her little girl resembles her sister – from everything she could have inherited from Lizzie why did it have to be the blonde’s theatrics. 

The rest of the morning goes smoothly- with the exception of both kids saying no to almost everything Josie and Amber proposed. In the end they gave up and let the little ones decide what they were going to do today. They ended up having a great day together eating ice cream, going to the park and watching movies and even if she won’t admit it Josie knows that Amber had enjoyed the Disney movies a little more than she lets on. 

And at the end of the day, when they were both tucked in bed, dressed in fluffy pyjamas, and begged their mother to tell them a story she told them about a troubled princess who battled monsters and unheard creatures along her family and friends, only to have her whole life turned upside down when she discovers something and runs away. Tells them how the girl found a new family and a new purpose in life, yet never forgetting her other family. 

Kisses them both on their foreheads as she whispers goodnight to each of them afterwards heading to bed herself. 

\------------------------------------------

_Her body is shaking as she takes a place on one of the busses sits. Her hand rests instinctively on her stomach rubbing soothing circles, the other holding the duffle bag close to her._

_She looks down at the necklace Hope gave her, which is now spelled to cloak her from even the most complicated of locator spells – curtsey to black magic._

_Josie knows her family is going to be devastated, but she couldn’t stay there anymore, couldn’t let anyone know. She had a new priority now and that were her unborn kids whom she had to protect at all costs._

_And staying at the Salvatore Boarding School was not protecting them. With a new monster every week she couldn’t endanger them like that, it had been three years since the monsters appeared and they have yet to discover how to stop them, stop Malivore._

_Resting her head on the cold window of the bus she observed the nature around her, the people, the kids._

_Another thought crossed her mind The Merge. She had to discover how to stop it. She wouldn’t let her kids grow up without a parent. She knew first hand how much the absence of one could hurt._

_Exhausted she closed her eyes letting sleep take over her. One plane ride later and she isn’t in Mystic Falls anymore, on a large piece of metal, with slight dents on it from the wind and graffiti spray on the edges is written in capital letters:_

_Welcome to Chicago. ___

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know there isn't much action in this two chapters, but I promise you it's coming. Feel free to comment, criticise and any ideas are welcomed. :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry it took me this much to update, but I kind of had a writer's block for a while there, but everything is good now.

With the phone tightly pressed between her ear and shoulder Josie rummaged through her purse in a hurry looking for the keys as she let out another exasperated sigh, the person on the phone not helping in the slightest with keeping her nerves at bay. 

“Yes, I know I’m late.” she lost count of how many times she’d said that over the past ten minutes. She lets out a sound of triumph, holding the keys up almost dropping the phone. “I’m leaving now, tell him I’ll be there in twenty minutes.” Without waiting for a response, she hits the end button effectively ending the conversation. 

Hopping in her car she starts the engine only to realise she’d forgotten her eyeglasses. A quick look at the clock tells her she doesn’t have time to go back inside and retrieve them, so with a defeated sigh she speeds down the road, surely breaking several speed limits. 

This was just not her day; she should have known this the moment she missed her alarm. Banging her head on the steering wheel she jumped in her sit when the horn went off, hitting her head on the ceiling of her car. Cursing her height, she wondered vividly if all these blows to her head affected her in anyway. No time to dwell on that, though, as time waits for no one. 

After what feels like an eternity but knows was probably fifteen minutes, she arrives at the destination. Regretting not turning back for her glasses she navigates through the sea of people squinting her eyes, trying her headrest to spot the familiar face of Will. She fiddles nervously with the necklace hanging loosely over her neck; she’s never been good with big crowds, that has always been Lizzie’s scenery. 

Finally, she spots dirty blonde hair at a table in the distance and prays to whatever gods there are that it is Will. 

Josie breaths in relief as she starts walking faster towards him, not noticing the other familiar face yet. Though, when she arrives, she wishes she had a better look (curse those goddamn glasses and her poor vision). 

He is looking at her with pure shock and she wants to run, to hide, to do something, anything. But it feels as though her body decided to go solo, not moving a muscle. The world around her starts spinning and she has to blink several times for it to stop, for the memories from her past to stop, for it all to just stop. 

She can’t hear a thing. The happy chirping of birds fall deaf on her ears, and she thinks she stopped breathing for a second as her heart stops beating only for it to start again, with way more force than before, almost jumping out of her ribcage.

But when he steps forwards it’s like a switch is flipped. She turns around and runs, not carrying to stop when she bumps into someone, pushing her legs even harder, willing them to run faster, she hears the screams of her present and past, both running after her. 

The door won’t open, why won’t it open? The keys, the keys! She feels a strong sense of déjà vu as she looks for her keys desperately (curse those keys, curse her friend, curse her life). 

“Josette Saltzman.” 

(the name sound foreign to her ears)

In a last failed attempt to get away she pulls again on the handle, only for it to snap back in its place, the door still locked. A hand grabs her wrist, forcing her to face him, and unwillingly she does yet her eyes are focusing on everything but his face. 

Eyeing her wrist, she notices the dark contrast between their skin. Looking from dark, chocolate skin to even darker chocolate eyes she swallows, the locket held so tight in her hand that she’s sure its design is already engraved in her palm. 

“Kaleb Hawkins.”

He hasn’t changed much, not that she expected him to, his hair is a little shorter and there are hints of a beared, but nothing more. She doesn’t know what to say, then again does anyone really? 

“Long time no see?”

\------------------------------------------

“Yes Hope, I will be there in time for the wedding and I do not care that you are the all mighty tribrid, I will go to this meeting then head straight to the airport, so tell Barbie to calm down, okay? Also, I am one foot taller than you, girl.” He brushes a hand through his hair, messing it up a little, still getting used to the new haircut. 

“I’m sorry...just don’t be late okay?” 

A tired sigh escapes his lips “I promise.” The phone call ends, and he is left in silence aside from the soft tune that’s playing on the radio. Looking out the window of his small red car he notices how bright the sun is shining and he wishes now more than ever he was at the beach. 

Arriving at the small café he’d been told to come to, he is taken aback by how many people are there- was it a holiday he wasn’t aware of?

Shaking his head, he looks for Bill or Will. Whatever his name was. He’s just about to fish his phone out and him when a hand touches his shoulder. Not expecting the sudden contact, he jumps, ready to snap whoever’s neck was behind him only to stop when he sees it is Will (or Bill). 

“Hi, Ms. Woods is running a few minutes late, I hope it’s not an inconvenience.” Oh, but it was. With an annoyed sigh he lets himself be seated at one of the tables in a more secluded corner. 

People after people came and went, yet no sign of this Ms. Woods, he was starting to thing she was invented. 

He saw her before she saw him. 

She looked noticeably older, that’s what age does he guesses. He watches as she squints her eyes, probably trying to find them. He watches as her face falls when she sees him, and when she starts running, he runs after her, barely managing not to use his vampire speed. It’s clear she didn’t know she had a meeting with him.

He catches her wrist and forces her to turn around. And while she is busy staring at anything but his face, he takes a moment to really look at her. 

Yes, she does seem tired, but it’s not a life draining tiredness also there is a certain glow around her, one he can’t quiet pinpoint yet. Her hair is jet black now (it looks good) and there are subtle bags under her eyes. She looks as if she’d seen everything, found something (and maybe she had, hell he didn’t know what she’d done in the three years she had been missing).

When her eyes catch his, her name escapes his lips, the shock not yet shaken, still evident in his voice. 

“Josette Saltzman.”

It’s not a question, it’s a statement. Her shoulders tense, and he lets go of her wrist. 

“Kaleb Hawkins.”

There is another suffocating pause, and he sees how Josie inspects him, noting the changes just as he’d done a couple seconds again. He can feel Will (or Bill, he should really learn his name) starring at the two, feels he is ready to attack if any harm comes to Josie. 

Finally, the silence is broken.

“Long time no see?” 

\------------------------------------------

_Seeing Josie hadn’t yet come down to breakfast, Lizzie began to worry. She played with her hands nervously as she goes to her room. Something was definitely wrong with her twin sister, and she was going to find out exactly what._

_Entering her room, she was in shock to see most drawers on Josie’s side where opened wide, some seemed to have been ripped off, as they lay on the ground empty. She let out a scream so loud, most of the school heard._

_The building started shaking, and before she knew what was happening everything in her room was flying through the air, smashing into the white, resistant walls of her room she (once) share with Josie._

_Suddenly her arms were behind her back, and she was dangling a couple centimetres in the air. “Lizzie, calm down.”_

_It was Hope voice, soothing and caring, yet it did nothing to calm her down as she stumbled to the ground, bringing her knees up to her chin she rested her head on it and started rocking herself back and forth._

_“Lizzie what happened?”_

_Blue eyes starred into even bluer eyes._

_“She’s gone.” Came the broken whisper of the crying girl._

_“Who is gone Lizzie?”_

_Hope was talking to her as if she was a little toddler having a meltdown.”_

_“Josie.” ___

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you expect that? How do you think Kaleb is going to react? So, Josie's past had come after her and a little of how Lizzie reacted when Josie left was shown. I hope you liked it, and feel free to comment, criticise or give you ideas. :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Josie might be going back to Mystic Falls, how do you all feel about that? Feel free to comment, criticise and give your ideas on what will happen next. Until next time :)

That moment when you have the desire to strangle someone’s neck and watch them die a slow and painful death was the moment Josie felt would do justice right now; and it was also something she wanted to try on Will.

Taking a couple of deep breaths, she urged the psychopathic thoughts to go away as she starred at her old friend. Her old friend that seemed to have transformed into a statue in front of her eyes; shock did that. The sun was still climbing higher and higher on the sky, the day was just beginning, yet Josie already wanted it to end.

She watched as Kaleb opened and closed his mouth a few times before snapping it shut, dimming it unusable for the time being. So, they just starred at one another and in all honesty, Josie didn’t know how long she’ll be able to continue doing that. Fortunately for her, Will cleared his throat gaining both of their attention and seemingly snapping Kaleb out of his mind.

(Josie decided that she could hold on a little longer on her friend’s assassination.)

“Long time no see! Long time no- what the actual fuck, Josette!”

(And the murder was back on.)

His voice got gradually louder and his arms joined his outburst as he flung them aimlessly through the air. Josie decided that she should take a step back for safety measures. Being hit (even if on accident) didn’t sound too appealing to her.

She let him rant, let him scream at her in the middle of a public place, let him take all his pant up frustration on her. Maybe his appearance hadn’t changed much but he is not the same laid-back boy he was three years ago. She figured none of them were the same as they once were.

As the storm of emotions came to a stop so did Josie’s thoughts. It is tough and hard to tell but she thinks she sees a glimpse of relief in his eyes, then it hits her. For all they knew she could have been dead. She imagines her father destroyed look and her sister’s breakdown and shakes her head furiously, shaking the images out of her head.

“I’m sorry.”

He seems taken aback by her apology and she vividly wonders what kind of monster he pictures here to be. Leaving her family and friends when they needed her the most, no contact, no goodbye, no nothing.

Tears gather in her eyes and they fall delicately on her rosy cheeks. A hand stretches out to her and through teary eyes she watches as he hands her a tissue she mutters a quiet thanks as she wipes away the tears.

“Give me tears and I’ll give you tissues.”

A small smile graces her lips. There is another long pause between them as they hold eye contact. “Please don’t hate me.” It comes out more vulnerable than she’d like. Having put up her walls for more than three years she was uncomfortable showing such a strong display of emotions.

She hears him sigh. Looking up she watches as he brushes a hand through his hair messing it up, a clear sign of frustration. “I don’t hate you Josie- no one does. I’m just-” another sigh. “wrapping my mid around it- around you being alive.” Words seem to have failed them both and Josie only nods, understanding how this must feel for him.

“But we do need to talk, and you have to tell me everything.”

She knows she does, a small part of her knew this the moment she laid eyes on him. There’s a hint of a smile on his lips and she figures it’s a way of telling her he is extending her an olive branch. And Josie would be dammed if she doesn’t take it.

Their small moment is over, and she rips her gaze away from Kaleb and instead focuses it on Will.

“I’ll choke you in your sleep.” Her voice is nothing but serious and if he didn’t know better Kaleb would have thought she’d actually do it. “How the fuck do you forget the last name!?” He cowers slightly under her gaze “I’m sorry, okay? You know I have the memory of a goldfish.” he defends himself and Josie shakes her head in defeat, she swears the man in front of her is worse than her children. A smirk finds its way on her lips as an idea forms “I’m telling Amber you are the one who ate her Cheetos.” His eyes go wide as he pales noticeably.

“No, please, I’ll do anything. I’ll even take Nat and Ethan for the weekend.” The brunette taps her fingers on her chin, as if she was deep in thought.

“Josie please, you know she’ll kill me. She loves those more than anything.”

It was true, Amber had an unhealthy obsession with Cheetos and unfortunately, she’d passed it down to her kids. “okay, fine. But you have to stop encouraging Nathan’s obsession with getting a hamster, we both know I’ll be the one to take care of it in the end.”

Will jumps high in the air and hugs Josie, planting brotherly kiss on her cheek.

“You are the best.”

“Yeah, yeah.” She says while patting him on the head as if he was an energized little puppy.

“I swear I’m surrounded by children.”

She laughs as he pouts.

A phone rings and they both turn their attention to Kaleb, who embarrassingly takes his phone up, fumbling with it a little before pressing accept. “ _Kaleb please tell me you are on your way to the airport.”_ He winces slightly, turning down the volume as he rubs at his ear. It takes him a second but then what Hope said processes in his brain and he quickly takes a look at his watch and curses. His plane leaves in an hour and the drive till the airport is at leas two.

With a guilty look he excuses himself to the other two and moves a couple feet away, giving himself a false sense of privacy. “Yeah about that.” He trails awkwardly and hopes that there is no way for her to hex him while being countries apart. And maybe it’s his paranoia but he can swear he can feel a growing headache.

 _"No_ " And even though he can't see her, he is sure she is shaking her head. _"I’m begging you. You are not still in Chicago, are you?”_ And he could easily lie, tell her he’s on his way or that his plane was delayed. “There was a situation.” There is nothing but silence and he wonders if she hadn’t hung up on him.

 _“A situation!? I swear to god Kaleb I will personally choke you to death, then stab you, then burn you.”_ He doesn’t doubt that she is dead serious, and for a minute there he actually fears for his somewhat dead life. (what was this fascination with chocking, anyway? First Josie now Hope, were all his friends murderers?) “Hope, believe me when I tell you I’m going to be there as soon as I can, okay?” he doesn’t wait for an answer as he ends the call, and shuts down his phone.

He lets out a groan and almost yells, before reminding himself he is in a public place, surrounded by people. He goes back to Josie and her friend- he gave up on learning his name about half an hour ago- and with a tight lip smile he clears his throat, effectively gaining both of their attention (were they still arguing?).

“I think we need to talk.”

She nods.

“Where? Here or we can go to my house?”

“How about Mystic Falls?”


End file.
